Last night I was lucky enough to attend the wonderful ‘Bloggers Cocktail Evening’ at Sheffield Forum on Division Street. They are currently in the process of launching a new drinks menu and so had a group of us along to sample a selection of cocktails and learn how to make them at home too! (This could be dangerous come September when I’m back in student territory…)

Upon arrival we were each given a glass of Gin and elderflower fizz. Served in champagne flutes with a cute decoration consisting of a tiny wooden peg and sprig of rosemary, this is an alternative to the usual bubbly. It’s an (aptly named) fizzy mix of gin, elderflower liqueur, apple juice and Prosecco which would be perfect for special occasions. Forum host ‘Fizz Fridays’, where their selection of four different sparkling drinks are all two for one if you fancy giving this one a try with a friend!

The new menu is coming into play as the team at Forum begin to focus on quality over quantity, reducing the number of drinks on the menu but ensuring that those served are perfect every time.

Throughout the evening we were on constant rotation between creating cocktails and drinking them, never left without a drink in our hand. The first cocktail we were taught to make is also the first on the menu- the Polish espresso martini. This is an alternative take on the classic, with the additions of mint and honey vodka which create a sweet taste to counter the sharpness of the coffee.

Polish espresso martini

Forum have their own brewery next door to the bar in which they brew their own beer, as well as creating gin which is not only used in their cocktails but is available in miniature gift sets alongside Fentimans tonic (these would be perfect for any G&T-lover birthdays you have coming up!).

In the brewery

Gin gift set

Following the tour of the brewery, our next cocktail demo was for the Candy martini. I’m a bit of a sucker for anything pink and sweet, so I could tell from the name and description that this would be a favourite. Made from equal measures of Liquor 43 and pineapple juice, along with a handful of raspberries, this is definitely one that I will have to try again.

Candy martinis- pretty as a picture

For our final drink of the night, we made ‘Lemon Cheesecake’.. by this point I was wishing I had eaten a lemon cheesecake before coming as I’d had insufficient food and the alcohol was starting to hit! This one was (surprisingly for me) even better than the Candy martini- silky smooth and tasting exactly like the dessert but without the eaten-too-much regret that often goes alongside it. This would be a perfect alternative to finish a meal- a mix of Limoncello, Amaretto, Absolut vodka, cream and lemon juice all finished off with a sprinkle of crushed biscuit.

Thank you so much to The Forum for having me.. it was a great evening and I’d 100% recommend booking one of their cocktail masterclasses (£20/pp) for the next time you want a night out with the added bonus of becoming a (semi) cocktail pro!